The price of happiness has gone up

Today was my one month med check with Dr. S.  It went really good.  As I've said in a few past posts, I'm feeling mostly good but still just a bit blah and unmotivated.  I'm also still having some brain issues in that my thoughts are jumbled at times and I'm increasingly forgetful.  Dr. S said there were three options to remedy this:

1. Get on a routine that includes at least eight hours of sleep a night.  Exercise daily and live a healthy lifestyle that includes eating properly.  
2. To increase my Zoloft dosage.  Zoloft tops out at 200 mg and I am currently taking 100 mg.
3. Add an additional medication to give me a boost without the side effects of increasing my serotonin like Zoloft would do.  He would put me on 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL. 

The first option is already something I'm working on and it is slowly falling into place.  The sleep schedule is still not right or perfect but that is because of my husband and his current work schedule.  I am trying to eat better and take care of myself physically and spiritually.  It's a process and one that I'm slowly incorporating into my life again.

Option two and three were the ones we discussed.  He wanted to go with option three and I agreed with him.  I'm worried that more Zoloft will make me into a zombie who cannot feel emotions.  It is already messing my my sexual pleasure but that is something I can deal with for now.  Wellbutrin (generic is Bupropion HCL 150 mg XL) will help with the sexual stuff and should give me the boost I need to get motivated and get past the blah feelings.  It will also, hopefully, help with the concentration issues.

Although I have the pills now, I'm not going to take them until Friday.  My Zoloft is almost gone so I might as well start them both at the same time with thirty pills each.  By doing this I also won't be running out of one two days before the other.  It's a little bit OCD of me but that is how I roll.  

So the cost of my happiness has gone up, at least for now, and will if the Wellbutrin works.  Here is my new breakdown for costs of my medications:

• Bupropion HCL (generic form of Wellbutrin) 150 mg XL tablet -- $38.08 for thirty tablets
• Sertraline (generic form of Zoloft) 100 mg tablet --$19.72 for thirty tablets
• Lorazepam (generic form of Ativan) 0.5 mg tablet -- $16.84 for sixty tablets

The Lorazepam is not something I need to refill monthly and, if history is any indication, the sixty tablets should last me around six months.  This makes my monthly medication bill to be just under $60.00.  Not bad, really.  I did find a discount prescription site and my card should arrive in a few weeks.  I'm going to give it a try since it is free.  Heck, it cannot hurt and if I can get my meds for half price or less, it is definitely worth it.  

Dr. S has also pretty much dismissed the thought that I might be bi-polar.  He still wants me to self-monitor for any signs or symptoms.  But he is feeling rather confident that I'm not.  He did mention that it can turn at any time so I'm to report any problems immediately.

Also, I'm to take the Wellbutrin in the morning.  If I find it messes with me being able to sleep, I'm to switch it to something I take before bed.  It's really just a game of chance and figuring out what works best for me.

My next med check will be in three months on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 9:30 am.